What’s the most popular way to route the wires? Directly under the track with short feeders (basically a mirror image of the track but under the benchwork) or a central line with feeder length determined as needed?
My application would be for a 13’ dogbone single layer layout.
I’ve never looked under any layout but my own. Mine is a switching layout with the widest portions only two fee wide. I ran two wires down the center and drop feeders from the rails to them.
“Generally” I ran a bus around more or less under where the track runs. Then feeders are run to the tracks…sometimes two tracks. I use 18AWG feeders. You just need to be sure that the feeders are not too long. Not usually a problem. “It ain’t rocket science.” [:)]
All true, with two possible exceptions:
Depending on how much track you’re going to have, you might want to divide your layout into “power districts”. This doesn’t necessarily require multiple boosters, but circuit breakers like those from Tony’s. Then a problem (derailment, bad wiring, tool left on the track, whatever) in one area will be easier to find, and not affect the rest of your layout. You can easily wire them separately but jump them together if you’d rather mess with the breakers later.
Second, if you’re ever going to install a signalling system, you’ll want to divide your main into blocks. Again, you can wire for it now, jumper them together, and install block detectors later.